Hmm... Good points, but I think this is really going to have to be an "agree to disagree" sort of thing - I believe that my high-end basses are meant to be played, too, but I also want to keep them nice so that I can enjoy them for many years to come.
I've found it extremely easy to keep all of my gear in at least as good a condition as when I acquired it. I don't consider anything I do in that regard special, it seems like common sense to me. I have high end basses I've had for more than 25 years that are in great shape... and not because I left them home.
In my humble opinion, the simple fact is that there are a lot of factors you can't control when you're taking these instruments out. The obvious counterargument is that you can't anticipate what "might" happen at home, but after having a bass killed in a bar fight I'd just as soon not tempt fate.
There are far more factors you can control. And yes, you can anticipate what will happen. Unless you're doing Blues Brothers chicken wire gigs of course. I still play in bars occassionally but I don't play in dives. It's a choice.
(I was at the bar, my Fender Jazz was in it's case, and the ******* bouncer ended up stepping on it to stop the fight - big guy, broke the neck at the heel.)
Where was your case that someone could step on it? Just curious. For someone to step on something of mine in a case, they would typically have to be walking on a wall. Because that's typically where I'd set it.
At any rate, I enjoy the **** out of my Dingwall and JC Bass, and my Alembic when I had it, etc, at home.
Cool... I prefer to enjoy mine in the mix, with other musicians. For me, that's really what they're made for.
I do an open mic every Monday in DC. Among other things there can be some pretty animated rappers but at no point has someone even come close to doing anything to any of my basses. I take any of my Brubakers, my Fodera, Ambush, F bass, Elricks, vintage Fender, whatever I feel like taking because bottom line, that's why I bought them... to play.
Maybe I'm overdue
IME, there are three factors here:
1. No one's going to notice how much better you sound with your 5 figure bass than with my 3 figure bass, with very few exceptions. Obviously I'm not talking about recording studio time or high-class gigs, but in a bar full of 20-somethings, odds are one or two people will comment on your tone. Odds are pretty even that more people will come up to you and tell you how "cool" it looks.
That's a basic difference between me and many bassists... "I" care how much better I sound and I consider what you're saying, no offense to be kind of a copout. One you're entitled to but it's really saying that since no one knows any better, work to that level. I would like to kill every single time I hit the stage and that's what I shoot for.
2. No one wants to steal a cheapo. It's not a universal rule, but I haven't caught any envious glances from people who are loading in and out at the same time as me when I'm sporting the SX. In the hustle and bustle, I spend more time making sure my gear is safe than helping my band, and that doesn't make anyone happy.
Given a chance, people will steal
anything. The obvious problem is that many musicians give those potential thieves a chance. I don't. If I have an instrument visible in my car, I'm either in the car or standing next to it. If I have to leave the area, so does the instrument. Is that a pain in the butt? Sure, sometimes it is... but far from as big a one as having an instrument stolen. get in the habit and it becomes no big deal. people ask me why I walk into a store or restaurant with a couple of gigbags over my shoulder... it's because I want potential thieves to at least say hi when they decide to take my stuff. So far, so good
3. If something does happen (and something will, eventually, to everyone) then I'd rather spend a few weeks modding another cheapo to the point where I'm satisfied with it's sound, playability, and looks than drop another $1K+ to repair a bass, much less buy a new one.
Again, 30+ years of gigging, never had anything anywhere near what you spent on repairs. A preamp might eventually fail, I think I broke a string back in the 80's, other than that, nada.
Therefore, please don't assume I don't play my basses, or enjoy playing them, or suggest that I'm doing them a disservice by keeping them safe. This is no different, IMO, than wearing the right clothes for the right event. If you're cool with wearing a business suit to a bar gig, then by all means do so, but don't assume that I don't appreciate business suits because I'm wearing jeans.
I didn't get the impression that people thought you didn't enjoy playing them, more that you're worried about them so you leave them home.
Obviously, do what you want to do, it's your stuff. It's obvious that many people like myself don't worry to the point that we can't enjoy our gear anywhere we play.
I understand that there are more points of view on this than just mine, but IMO practicality is just as important as anything else - I bought my SWR gear over Bergantino because of the same 3 reasons above. It's just not practical to me to drive a Ferrari to work everyday. The only reason I can see for doing it, since I can enjoy it just as much on sunny days, is that I want everyone to see that I can drive a Ferrari to work every day.
And you seem to miss the obvious reason... because it's FUN. That's why I drive what I drive vs. making them garage queens. I could easily enjoy a Ferrari in the rain. There are people who love to take people to their garage and show them how clean their car is. Then there are people who love to DRIVE.
I can see a parallel between this and music.
As always, though, my $.02 is just that.
Same here.
